Goblin Tales, by Jim C. Hines
Goblin Tales is a collection of five fantasy short stories. The first four are in a fantasy world and revolve around goblins, specifically characters from Hines’ previous Goblin Quest novels. The last is set in present day reality, but creatively uses books and magic from well-known fantasy and science fiction novels.
In “Goblin Lullaby,” a goblin nanny tries to stop a war – in order to keep her nursery quiet. “The Haunting of Jig’s Ear” follows Jig as he tries to appease a vengeful spirit without getting himself killed in the process. In “Goblin Hunter,” Jig saves a fire spider and his eggs, but is then sent to hunt dangerous bird creatures. Thankfully, his new friend can help. “School Spirit” follows a goblin wizard-in-training who finds it hard to fit in among the rest of her classmates. And “Mightier than the Sword” is an action-packed story where books literally have a magic of their own. Each story is followed by a brief commentary by Hines explaining its history.
Each story is full of adventure, humor, and magic. Completely engaging and entertaining, these fantastic stories should not be missed by fans of the Goblin Quest novels. Hines is an extremely talent fantasy writer, creating an incredible world of terrible-yet-loveable goblins, the unlikeliest heroes. This must-read collection is available electronically for the Kindle or Nook.